Fee Rate Advisory #5 for Fiscal Year 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE2003-153

Washington, D.C., Nov. 7, 2003 - The continuing resolution funding the Securities and Exchange Commission for fiscal 2004 since Oct. 1, 2003, has been extended further through Nov. 21, 2003. Therefore, fees paid under Section 6(b) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Sections 13(e), 14(g) and 31 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 will remain at their current rates.

Five days after enactment of the Commission's regular fiscal year 2004 appropriation, the Section 6(b) fee rate applicable to the registration of securities, the Section 13(e) fee rate applicable to the repurchase of securities, and the Section 14(g) fee rate applicable to proxy solicitations and statements in corporate control transactions will be increased from the current rate of $80.90 per million to $126.70 per million, as previously announced.

In addition, thirty days after enactment of the Commission's regular appropriation, the Section 31 fee rate applicable to securities transactions on the exchanges and Nasdaq will be reduced from the current rate of $46.80 per million to $39.00 per million, as previously announced.

Additional information on the transition to the new Section 31 fee rate will be available before the new rate becomes effective on the Web sites of The New York Stock Exchange and NASD Regulation at http://www.nyse.com and http://www.nasdr.com.

The Commission will issue further notices as appropriate to keep the public informed of developments relating to enactment of the Commission's regular appropriation and the effective dates for the above fee rate changes. These notices will be posted at the SEC's Internet Web site at http://www.sec.gov.